Having overseen three draws and now a potentially crucial win since taking over from sacked coach Steve Clarke, West Bromwich Albion’s caretaker manager Keith Downing insisted he is still not interested in taking over on a longer-term basis. On that basis, he said, after seeing Saido Berahino convert a late penalty to see off a Newcastle side reduced to 10 men for the final half hour, it was now important Albion acted quickly to fill the void.
"January is a very important month in the football calendar, with the transfer window and contracts to be sorted out. The uncertainty can't go on, there has to be a decision who takes it on, for however long."
Bought some time
However, he feels Downing has bought West Brom time, though on this occasion he received considerable assistance from the Newcastle midfielder Matthieu Debuchy. One of the most ludicrously stupid and potentially dangerous "tackles" of this or any other season, a both-feet-off-the-ground two-footed lunge on Claudio Yacob, gave the referee Lee Mason no alternative other than to dismiss the Frenchman, and though the Magpies worked hard enough to merit a draw, Chris Brunt's fine pass into the penalty area saw Matej Vydra push the ball past Tim Krul before being upended.
“We were fortunate the forward had a big touch because we might have lost another player,” admitted the Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, who also accepted – as he had to – Debuchy had to be sent off.
“Matthieu is an honest player and genuinely went for the ball, there was no malicious intent, but you can’t take off with two feet and he knows that. We’ll suffer and so will he because he’ll be a big miss for three games.”
In the circumstances it was perhaps as well that Albion’s Nicolas Anelka should have squandered one of the best chances of what had been a relentlessly disappointing match before the late excitement.
While even Anelka would surely have not been so stupid as to repeat his appalling quenelle celebration, a goal would have refocused attention on the controversial French striker.
Starting lineup
Despite the announcement of an English FA investigation into Anelka's gesture, Downing chose to name him in his starting lineup. Subsequent reaction has made it abundantly apparent that whatever Anelka may believe, many thousands of people, both in France and elsewhere, regard it as unquestionably antisemitic.
Pardew, meanwhile, fears defender Fabricio Coloccini could be out for up to six weeks with a knee injury. Coloccini took a knock during his side’s 1-0 Premier League defeat at West Brom and limped off after 65 minutes.
Pardew said: “It has been a bad afternoon. Not only do we lose Debuchy but Colo also looks to have done something to his knee. It is early days but we could be looking at four to six weeks out.
"I can't fault the players. I thought they were terrific in their application and attitude but with this programme, with 10 men, you're always going to be struggling.
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